epson 400 problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter geepeetee
  • Start date Start date
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geepeetee

Hi

Yes i know its a blast from the past but my son has just bought it to use
while at uni.

He is using his laptop with Windows XP. The OS did not detect and install
the printer and kept giving error messages when trying to print. He went
through the usual driver, uninstall and reinstall routines but to no avail.

Somewhere along the line something got confused and now the printer wont do
anything and is flashing the lights on the control panel. The handbook says
contact your dealer if this happens but of course with an old model printer
that's not an option.

Can anyone advise a course of action (not chuck it in a skip, that has
crossed my mind) is it possible some irreversible damage has been done or
can it be reset.

thanks in advance

Gary
 
geepeetee said:
Hi

Yes i know its a blast from the past but my son has just bought it to use
while at uni.

He is using his laptop with Windows XP. The OS did not detect and install
the printer and kept giving error messages when trying to print. He went
through the usual driver, uninstall and reinstall routines but to no
Click to expand...
avail.

We need to know whether XP lists the
Epson 400 as supported.
 
geepeetee said:
Hi

Yes i know its a blast from the past but my son has just bought it to use
while at uni.

He is using his laptop with Windows XP. The OS did not detect and install
the printer and kept giving error messages when trying to print. He went
through the usual driver, uninstall and reinstall routines but to no avail.

Somewhere along the line something got confused and now the printer wont do
anything and is flashing the lights on the control panel. The handbook says
contact your dealer if this happens but of course with an old model printer
that's not an option.

Can anyone advise a course of action (not chuck it in a skip, that has
crossed my mind) is it possible some irreversible damage has been done or
can it be reset.

thanks in advance

Gary
Click to expand...
Maybe the printer is signaling that the ink sponge is full. If so, you
will need to reset it. One easy way is to use this free utility-
http://ssclg.com/epsone.shtml
 
Exactly which lights are on and what are they doing?

Do they stay on when the printer is unplugged from the computer and
restarted?

Can you print a test page from the printer when it is not connected to
the computer?

Art
 
Hi

Although i havent seen it (my son is at uni) the lights are flashing, they
stay on whatever we do and it wont print a test page. The printer behaves
the same unplugged from the pc.

thanks

Gary
 
This is likely a "full waste ink pad" warning. All Epson printers have
a "protection" number built into them that, when it comes up (the
printer counts each cleaning, purging and start up cycle which place
waste ink into the pad) it causes the printer to shut down in this
manner to save you possible problems with ink leaking from those pads
and ruining your furniture or pants while carrying it.

I do not have the sequence for the 400, but I do for the 440 which is
probably the same (below).

Assuming this works, it will reset the protection counter to zero and
the printer will again be functional. However, you need to realize that
since the waste ink pads were not replaced (cost to have it done will
likely be similar to the cost of a equivalent printer today), there is a
risk the waste ink pads could overflow and waste ink could seep from the
printer and damage thing under it. I suggest considering placing it on
some absorbent material (like several layers of newsprint, with a
plastic liner under it, or place the printer is a tray large enough to
contain it)

Since the 400 is a fairly old machine, and since it uses dye inks, the
waste ink has probably been collected over a number of years, and
because the majority of the liquid in the inks is water, alcohol and
glycol, all of which evaporate over time, it will leave little residue
behind. The glycols evaporate more slowly than the other components.

All this probably means (no guarantee) it will be safe to run the
printer until you get a second warning, at which point you may wish to
get the waste ink pads replaced before doing another reset. More than
likely, by then you will have replaced the printer anyway.

Here is the reset process for the 440 and 640 printer. I suspect it
will be similar for the 400. If it doesn't work, let me know in private
email, please and I will try to dig up another sequence.

Art

EPSON 440 and 640 PRINTERS:

To set the printer into EEPROM management mode:

With the printer and computer OFF, disconnect the printer from the
computer at the printer.

With printer OFF hold down Load/Eject+Cleaning buttons, while holding
them, press the ON SWITCH

This Enters the EEPROM Reset mode. (The Load/Eject LED blinks for a few
seconds.)

To Reset the EEPROM:

While the Load/Eject LED is blinking (for about 2 seconds), press down
the Cleaning switch for 10 seconds.

After 10 seconds, both Bk and CMY ink LEDs come ON simultaneously.

Confirming the both LEDs are ON, release the Cleaning switch. The
printer automatically starts initialization operation to reset the
specified addresses in the EEPROM.

Once your printer has completed the initialization process, turn it off
via the power button.

With both printer and computer OFF reattach the printer cable to the
printer.

When you next need to turn it on, it should function normally.
 
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